FOLLOW US

FOLLOW US

FOLLOW US

Xiaomi launches Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note in India

Xiaomi has launched three new smartphones in the Indian market - Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note at Rs 13,999, Rs 6,999 and Rs 9,999.

| TOI Tech | Updated: Jul 15, 2014, 04.26 PM IST

Xiaomi has launched three new smartphones in the Indian market — Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note at R... Read More

Xiaomi has launched three new smartphones in the Indian market - Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note at Rs 13,999, Rs 6,999 and Rs 9,999.

The phones will be exclusively available on ecommerce retailer Flipkart. While the Mi 3 will go on sale starting July 22, the two Redmi phones will be available in August.

Xiaomi Mi 3 has a 5-inch Full HD display and runs on a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM. It is powered by Android 4.4 (KitKat) with Xiaomi's proprietary MIUI skin on top. It packs 16GB internal storage, but does not support storage expansion via microSD cards.

Xiaomi Mi 3 sports a 13MP camera with dual-LED flash on the back and a 2MP camera in front. Connectivity suite of the smartphone consists of 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC. It has a 3,050mAh battery, and Xiaomi claims that the smartphone can deliver talk time of up to 21 hours on 3G networks.

Made of aluminium-magnesium alloy, this smartphone weighs 145 gram and is 8.1mm thick.

The smartphone will come with Xiaomi's Mi Cloud service, which will allow users to save and access their contacts, messages, photos, notes and call logs online. They will also be able to back up apps in the cloud and locate the handset online in case it is lost.

Xiaomi Redmi 1S, which was unveiled earlier this year, sports a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. It comes with 16GB internal storage and a microSD card slot that supports storage cards of up to 64GB. The phone has a 2000mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Xiaomi's MiUi layer on top. It sports an 8MP rear camera and a 1.6MP front facing camera.

Unveiled in May, Xiaomi Redmi Note phablet sports a 5.5-inch 720p IPS display. It is powered by a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor and 2GB RAM. It comes with 8GB internal storage and a microSD card slot that supports storage cards of up to 32GB. The phone has a 3100mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Xiaomi's MiUi layer on top. It sports a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front facing camera.

During its launch in Singapore, 5,000 units of Redmi Note, priced at S$199 (Rs 9,600 approximately), were sold out in just 42 seconds. Judging by the pricing of Mi 3 in India, we expect the company to unveil the other phones at an equally competitive prices.

Talking about the company's India operations, Manu Jain, India operations head, Xiaomi, said "We are looking to provide the best in class experience to our Mi fans in India. We are starting with 35+ service centres across top 20 cities, a hotline that operates 7 days a week, and a vibrant Mi India Facebook page. Our partner Flipkart, with its world-class technology and customer service, will be key to providing this experience."

Xiaomi Mi3 sales will commence July 22 at 12 noon on Flipkart. However, interested buyers will need to pre-register before July 22 on Flipkart to become eligible. The company will have a dedicated helpline to track orders. Xiaomi will have 36 service centres in India with two exclusive Mi centres in Delhi and Bangalore.

Xiaomi intends to sell its phones exclusively through an online model. Initially, it has partnered with Flipkart, however, it plans to start selling phones on its own website, in the near future, according to Jain. The company is also open to partnering other online retailers.

Speaking with TOI Tech, Hugo Barra, vice president of Xiaomi, said that the company aims to reach out to consumers through technology influencers, fans, social media and enthusiasts and will not look at spending big on advertising and marketing, at least in the initial phase.

When asked how the company plans to gain mindshare in a market where the brand is not known outside the tech circles, he said Xiaomi may rethink its promotional strategy if the current one doesn't work as intended.

Barra reassured that the Mi 3 will get timely software updates at both base level (Android) and MiUi updates for a reasonable time period.

One of the differentiating features of Xiaomi's MiUi interface is themes. It is also a source of revenue for the company as it offers paid themes. However,the Themes store available in India will only feature free themes as Xiami is still in the process of integrating payment options.

RELATED

From around the web

From GADGETSNOW

Recommended By Colombia

From Around the Web

From GADGETSNOW

Recommended By Colombia

Comments

Sort By:

Characters Remaining: 3000

OR PROCEED WITHOUT REGISTRATION

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

SIGN IN WITH

FacebookGoogleEmail

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.